


Gone and Back Again

by LeapAngstily



Category: Football RPF
Genre: And they're loving it, Danger of cavities, Italian captains have many different jobs, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-14
Updated: 2015-10-14
Packaged: 2018-04-26 10:22:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5001070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeapAngstily/pseuds/LeapAngstily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mario is back in Milan. Stephan isn't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gone and Back Again

**Author's Note:**

> Written for an anonymous prompt on Tumblr. Please do [drop me a line](http://thousand-and-one-montos.tumblr.com/ask) if you want me to write something for you!

Mario is back.

There might have been a twinge of jealously when Stephan first heard the news – that he’d been shipped off to Monaco only for Mario to come back to Milan – but with each new match, the ache becomes duller, until it’s nothing more than a vague sense of longing.

Leaving Milan had been his own choice – kind of – just like it had been Mario’s the year before – kind of.

Stephan is still not quite sure why Mario left in the first place. No one had bothered to tell him back then, not even Mario, even though they were supposed to be friends.

All he knows is that Mario had left the club they both loved so much. It isn’t a decision you take lightly – Stephan knows this now more than ever, because it’s the same decision he had to take.

But any knowledge can’t change how Stephan feels, because Mario might have left the club, but he also left  _Stephan_. And that’s not something he can just forget.

And now Mario is in Milan, and Stephan isn’t. He can’t help but feel it’s somehow personal.

He’s actually relieved when Conte doesn’t call up Mario for the last Euro qualifiers. There will be a time when Mario gets called up, Stephan knows it – or at least hopes; he’s Mario’s number one fan, after all – but maybe, just maybe, Stephan will stop hurting before that time comes.

“How’s Mario doing?” he still can’t help but ask Monto quietly during the first training at Coverciano.

Stephan knows that Monto feels some kind of a responsibility for Mario, which is why he asks him and not, say, Mattia or Jack. Monto will know,  _really know_ , how Mario is. Given, he will also know  _why_  Stephan is asking, but Stephan considers that a small price to pay.

“Why don’t you ask him yourself?” Monto returns the question with a question, one eyebrow raised sceptically, but then he offers Stephan a contemplative smile. “He’s— changed, I guess? I mean, he’s still the same Mario, no doubt, but he’s calmer, acting more grown up. I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

_Fine_.

Somehow the word seems flat, because Mario is never just fine, he’s always something more – brilliant, amazing, explosive, unpredictable, dangerous; always so full of life, emotion, energy. Never just  _fine._

“You should really ask him yourself, though. He was asking about you the other day,” Monto tells him before he skips off to pester Chiellini over some bet they’d had. Stephan is almost happy he’s left alone, because the idiotic smile spreading over his face is definitely not something he wishes to explain.

Okay, so maybe he should call Mario.

Stephan thinks he really shouldn’t be that surprised when that same night, on the way to his room, someone ambushes him from behind. Still, he lets out an undignified yelp when large hands suddenly cover his eyes and a painfully familiar voice speaks into his ear: “Guess who?”

“What’re you doing here?” he asks instead of speaking Mario’s name, grabbing a hold of his wrists and peeling the hands off his face. Mario is grinning from ear to ear when Stephan finally turns around to face him.

“Captain was worried about you.” Stephan wastes no time wondering whether Mario is referring to Monto or Gigi. “And apparently Chiello owed him a favour – don’t ask me why, I have no idea, some iffy old guy stuff, probably— but anyways, they promised to keep Conte busy for an hour or so.”

Stephan doesn’t realize he is grinning just as widely as Mario before his friend pokes his cheek playfully and notes, “Looks like he was worried for nothing, huh? You look great,  _Faraone_.”

“You too,” Stephan blurts out. His face heats up and Mario pinches his cheek in return, shamelessly making fun of his blush. Stephan has to remind himself that he’s supposed to be angry at Mario.

“You’re back.” Stephan has so much he wants to say to Mario, but that’s all he can come up with?  _Pathetic_. So he tries again: “You left me.”  _Nope, definitely not better._  “I missed you, Mario.”

Mario is not laughing anymore. Instead, his smile is almost gentle now, the pinch on his cheek turning into a hesitant caress. Maybe Stephan did say something right.

“I missed you too, Stephan.”

Stephan can do nothing to stop Mario from seeing his blush – his face feels like it’s on fire – but he’ll be damned if he lets anyone else witness his embarrassing reactions. He could bet Monto and Chiellini are hiding somewhere nearby. Maybe Gigi too, because he’s definitely into that kind of stuff.

“Let’s go inside,” he suggests, jerking his head towards his door pointedly. Mattia said he was going to call his girlfriend, so he will hopefully be out for a while longer. They’ll have time to talk…

“Think you can get me into your bed that easily?” Mario is grinning again, eyes shining with laughter. He’s definitely the same Mario.

“Idiot, I haven’t even forgiven you yet,” Stephan snaps back, but it’s good-natured, an indulgent smile tugging at his lips. “You’re gonna have to work much harder before you get anywhere near my bed.”

“Challenge accepted.” Mario follows Stephan into his room without further arguments.

 

 

(Around the corner, Gigi is doing a little victory dance. Man, he’s such a good captain.)


End file.
